I first experienced computer conferencing as a support to traditional classroom instruction as a part of John Baker's Philosophy of Mind class in 1986. It was clear to me then the benefits reported in this article: "a nurturing of self-learning ability as they acquire not just explicit, formal knowledge, but also the ability to behave as community members. Learning in this community-based setting draws attention away from the abstractness of ideas presented in the absence of context and negotiation and focuses on communities in which knowledge takes on authentic meaning for its members." My very first publication, a little article titled "Why Equi Fails," emerged from that discussion - as did my longstanding belief that context is critical to any evaluation of meaning or truth. Expect to see a lot more dialogue about the use of computer conferencing in classroom settings - the benefits are too great to ignore.
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